Seriously. I have hired a couple dozen freelancers this year to do odd jobs. Anything from doing a WP install, to doing a block of SEO-riffic blog posts, to site scrapes…and more.
And I pay on time, I pay early a lot. I find jobs, and find people that can do them and I charge for that service. And the one thing that happens a lot…and the one way I spot low caliber people I don’t want to be working with is the ‘thank you’ portion of the experience. A ton of people don’t bother with basic manners.
And you can tell a problems going to come because entitlement kills every business. Having the entitlementality is a good part of the reason I wrote my book. The situation goes like this: A job gets done on time, I get invoiced and pay on the agreed date. Often, the freelancers that want payment fastest are the least likely to say thank you.
And, I’m guessing it rubs everyone the wrong way. I don’t need you to genuflect, I don’t need you to fellate me for paying on time, but seriously, a simple thanks is all it takes to get good will. And more business.
The ones I called out on it said, “I don’t have time to acknowledge payment, too busy.” I’m insulted, and I don’t work with people that don’t acknowledge payment (esp. first time around) with a thank you. I view them as scuzzy and I probably ascribe characteristics that they don’t truly have. And I’m sure other people do as well. Even if a job was less than smooth, even if you don’t care to work together again, say thanks. Super simple.
But then they are the same ones that signal that they are highly broke by invoicing multiple times, asking for advances and even soliciting my clients directly. Stopping a moment to be in gratitude is so powerful, it changes the dynamic. And not doing it sends signals that you’re not a real good guy. You shouldn’t be doing work you’re not grateful to be doing. You should pass. If you view it as shitty, simple moneywork, then you should find work you’ll run through walls to do.
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I am constantly amazed by the simple power of being a nice person in terms of building and maintaining a freelance biz. “Please” and “thank you” are indeed magic words.
Mistake number 2: If a client calls you out on something, the correct response is, “I apologize.” Whether you think it’s important or not, the client obviously does and it’s worth noting. I won’t bother address the other faux pas here, since if someone doesn’t already know things like it’s NOT cool to poach clients as a subcontractor, I’m not going to enlighten them in 30 seconds or less.
Relationships are important to me. I don’t mean having to be drinking buddies with someone I hire but for crying out loud, be a decent human being. Why? Because I am. No really, I am. Plus, I am a referring machine. If folks need a mechanic I refer them a great one WITH “manners”, a loan agent, a website desiger, whoever. Why would I refer a world class designer who is a world class jerk! Of course I wouldn’t. As a customer, I deserve to be treated with manners. Period. Oh Chris.. great post and great site design.. .who did it for you ;0 ) … I need mine done, obviously.